Harness-snap.



No. 775,678. PATENTED NOV. 22, 1904. J. W. LAWHEAD.

HARNESS SNAP.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 10, 1904.

N0 MODEL.

7 N -NT R z. M. 7mm Kg fi v a, fimY- w ETNEE'SEEI UNITED STATESPatented. November 22, 1904.

JAMES W. LAYVHEAD, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

HARNESS-SNAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 775,678,:1ated November22, 1904.

Application filed February 10, 1904. Serial No. 192,977. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES W. LAWHEAD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Harness-Snaps; and I dodeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itanpertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in harness-snaps,and possesses the new and advantageous features hereinafter describedand claimed. I

The invention is an improvement in the harness-snap set forth in UnitedStates Letters Patent No. 742,690, granted to F. L. Loree, October 27,1903, and of which patent I am the sole and exclusive owner.

The object of the invention is to add to the practicability and utilityof the harness-snap, which is the subject-matter of the above patent.

To this end the invention consists in providing a loose twist in thebody of the snap and from which twist the sides of the snap extenddiagonally, cross each other, and terminate in a V-shaped end. In such acon-. struction in inserting the ring in the snap the loose twist abovereferred to enables the crossed sides of said snap to spread outward bythe contraction and expansion of the twist sufficiently to permit thering to pass the extreme or beveled ends of the snap, after which thecontraction and expansion'of the coils of the twist draw the sides incontact with the beveled ends and cause the sides to turn the ring to aposition at right angles to its entering position. The size of thetwist, or, in other words, the space between the coils of said twist, issubstantially equal to the diameter of the metal from which the ring isformed. In other words, the coils of the twist must contract and expandsufficiently to permit the ring to pass between the beveled ends and thesides of the snap. In removing the ring, as well as inserting it, thecoils of the twist necessarily expand and contract sufficiently topermit the crossed sides of the snap to be sprung in oppositedirections, all as will hereinafter be more fully described.

Preceding a detail description of the invention, reference is made tothe accompanying drawings, of which Figure 1 is a plan view of myimproved harness-snap with ring attached. Fig. 2 is a view looking atFig. 1 at right angles. Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the portionconnecting the ring and snap.

In adetail description of the invention similar reference charactersindicate corresponding parts.

The snap 1 is constructed of one integral piece of metal of suitablediameter. One end of the snap is provided with a loop 2, which engagesthe usual harness-strap. The body of the snap is provided with a loosetwist 3, which completes the loop 2. From this loose twist 3 the sides 44 extend diagonally, cross or intersect each other at a point betweenthe twist and the rounded or hooked ends of the snap and lie away fromeach other to provide a loop 5, which engages the ring 6. The sides 4 4extend diagonally, as before stated, toward each other from the pointwhere the twist terminates and by crossing or intersect- I ,ends of thesnap are uniformly curved or rounded in hook form, as at 7 in oppositedirections and are tapered at their extreme ends 8, so that the saidtapered ends when the snap is closed abut against the sides 4, thespring of the metal serving to maintain such contact. The points ofcontact of the extreme ends of the hooks with the sides 4 4 aresubstantially in line with the cross or point of intersection of saidsides. Therefore suitableinclination is thus given said sides to causethe ring to be ejected from the loop 5 under the contraction of thetwist or coil 3. The crossing of the sides 4 4, as hereinbefore stated,provides the entering-space 9, into which the ring 6, as in Fig. 3, isinserted, and is thus utilized to open the snap by forcing said ringinwardly. In

this act of uniting the ring and the snap the ring is pressed inwardlyand the fork or V- shaped ends of the snap are caused to spread apartand the tapered ends 8 to move away from their contact with the sides 44. The twisted portion of the snap contracts and expands at the sametime in inserting or removing the ring. The ring is permitted to enterthe loop 5, and when it passes inwardly to a point beyond the taperedends 8 the contraction and expansion of the twist causes the sides 4 4to comein contact with the beveled ends 8, and the ring is therebycaused to assume its natural position within the loop 5.

The slanting sides 4: 4, adjacent to the twist,

stop the insertion of the ringsoon after the said ring has passed thebeveled ends 8 8 and turn said ring at right angles to its enteringposition.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. The snap comprising twomembers connected at one end and terminating at their opposite ends inhooks curved in opposite directions, and the end of the hook of eachmem.

ber abutting the opposite member, and said members being loosely twistedtogether intermediate their ends and beyond the twist lying in planeswhich intersect substantially at the intermediate their ends and beyondthe twist lying in planes which intersect between the twist and thehooked end of the snap.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. JAMES W. LAWHEAD.

- Witnesses:

R. J. MOCARTY, C. M. THEoBALD.

